In this issue, we begin the study of the book, Posthumous Works, published after Allan Kardec disembodied and containing texts written by him. The present work is based on the translation made by Dr. Guillon Ribeiro, published by the Brazilian Spiritist Federation.
Questions for discussion
1. Three words, according to his biographer, make up Kardec’s flag. What words are they?
2. Where and when was Kardec born?
3. What was his educational background?
4. How was his life after completing his studies in Switzerland?
5. What were his major works in the field of education?
6. When did Kardec begin to take an interest in Spiritist phenomena?
7. What are his major Spiritist works?
8. Among the principles of the Doctrine, which one is the most fruitful?
9. Spiritism has a maximum, which is a known phrase written by Kardec. Do you know what it is?
10. What did Kardec express about Faith?
Answers to the proposed questions
1. Three words, according to his biographer, make up Kardec’s flag. What words are they?
Work, solidarity, tolerance. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
2. Where and when was Kardec born?
In Lyon, France, on October 3, 1804, within an old family known by its judges and lawyers. His Christian name was Hippolyte-Léon Denizard Rivail. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
3. What was his educational background?
Since he was a boy, he yearned to study Science and Philosophy. His studies were at the School of Pestalozzi, in Yverdum (Switzerland), and he became one of the most eminent disciples of this famous teacher and one of the zealous spreader of his educational system. This system had a great influence on the education reform in Germany and France. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
4. How was his life after completing his studies in Switzerland?
He returned to France and dedicated himself to teaching and writing textbooks. Since he knew German very well, he translated several education and moral books to German, of different authors such as Fenelon. He became a member of several wisemen societies, such as the “Academie Royale du Arras”, which in its 1831 contest awarded him for a remarkable dissertation under the title: "Which is the study system more in harmony with the needs of the time?" From 1835 to 1840 he founded, at home, on the Sevres Street, free courses, where he taught Chemistry, Physics, Comparative Anatomy and Astronomy. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
5. What were his major works in the field of education?
Practical and Theoretical Course in Arithmetic, according to Pestalozzi’s method to be used by primary school teachers and mothers (1829); French Classical Grammar (1831); Manual of Tests for Capacity Diplomas; Reasoning solutions for arithmetic and geometry questions and problems (1846); Grammar Catechism of the French language (1848); Program of the usual courses in Chemistry, Physics, Astronomy, Physiology, which he taught at the “Lycée Polymathique”; Dictation of normal texts for the exams at the City Hall and Sorbonne, followed by Dictation of special texts for spelling difficulties (1849). (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
6. When did Kardec begin to take an interest in Spiritist phenomena?
In May 1855. Since then he continuously observed the manifestations, engaging mainly in deducing its philosophical consequences. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
7. What are his major Spiritist works?
The Book of Spirits. Its first edition was published on April 18, 1857; The Book of Mediums, in January, 1861; The Gospel According to Spiritism, on April, 1864; Heaven and Hell, in August, 1865; Genesis, the Miracles and Predictions, on January, 1868, and the Spiritist Magazine, a newspaper of psychological studies. Its first issue was published on the 1st of January, 1858. Besides the books, he founded in Paris, on the 1st of April, the first Spiritist society, regularly constituted under the name of Parisian Society of Spiritist Studies. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
8. Among the principles of the Doctrine, which one is the most fruitful?
It is the plurality of existences, of which there was already a glimpse by numerous philosophers, ancient and modern, and lately by Jean Reynaud, Charles Fourier, Eugene Sue and others, but it always remained as a hypothesis, while Spiritism demonstrated its reality. This principle is the solution of all the apparent anomalies of human life and of all the intellectual, moral and social inequalities. Considering this view, man knows where he came from, where he is going to, and why he is on this Earth and the reason for his suffering. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec's Biography).
9. Spiritism has a maximum, which is a known phrase written by Kardec. Do you know what it is?
Without Charity there is no Salvation, i.e., equality of men before God, tolerance, freedom of conscience and mutual benevolence. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
10. What did Kardec express about Faith?
He wrote that throughout Humanity there is no unshakeable faith except the one that is based on reasoning. He added that it is necessary for faith to have a base and this base is the perfect intelligence of what must be believed. To believe is not just enough to see, it is necessary above all to understand. Referring to blind faith, he said that there was no longer a place in the world for it, since it was the dogma of blind faith that produced the large number of unbelievers, who then lived on the planet. (Posthumous Works, First Part, Kardec’s Biography).
